Hong Kong shares ended flat on Thursday, as weakness in the local property sector offset an 11.6 per cent surge for Li & Fung as investors covered short bets on hopes that the worst is over for the exporter.

Hong Kong shares closed at an 11-week high in fairly robust trade on Tuesday, with mid-sized Chinese lenders leading gains among battered cyclicals as investors covered short bets ahead of more corporate earnings.

Hong Kong shares posted strong gains on Monday, as coal and cement led advances for Chinese cyclicals with investors cutting bearish bets after the release of more solid economic data on the world’s second-largest economy late last week.

The Hang Seng Index ended up 2.1 per cent at 22,271.3 points in its biggest daily gain since July 23.

Hong Kong shares ended up on Friday helped by Chinese coal companies on hopes of rising physical prices and solid China data for fixed asset investment and factory output, but the market endured its worst week in nearly two months.

Hong Kong shares ended higher on Thursday after two straight days of losses as investors regained confidence following stronger-than-expected China trade data, with the focus now turning to inflation due on Friday.
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Hong Kong shares posted their strongest gain in more than a week on Thursday, with Chinese cyclicals lifted by better-than-expected official manufacturing data and the central bank’s second cash injection this week.

Hong Kong shares ended their best month in 10 on a whimper on Wednesday, as weakness in Tencent offset a strong mainland property sector after China’s politburo appeared to affirm greater official tolerance for home price increases.